He heard the announcement. Soon after, he checked his own work schedule.

Then, presumably, the Calgarian began to beam — because there is indeed overlap. Which makes it possible to stare down Derek Jeter during the New York Yankees star’s final season.

“Hopefully the stars align and that can happen,” says Jim Henderson. “That would be awesome. I got to face Chipper Jones on his farewell tour a couple years ago and it was exciting. Guys you grew up watching … I try not to have too many moments when the guy steps to the plate and you get nervous. But once in a while, it happens when they’re legends like that, future Hall of Famers.

“It’ll definitely be exciting when the Yankees come to town.”

If the Milwaukee Brewers happen to be leading in the late stages of any of those three dates in May, Henderson will, without doubt, enter the proceedings.

That this matchup — Henderson versus Jeter — is not at all far-fetched is a tribute to how far the 6-foot-5 pitcher has come.

From 10-year minor-leaguer to bona fide big-leaguer.

From pro-ball longshot — after being drafted 777th by the Montreal Expos — to elite reliever.

Reluctant to boast, the 31-year-old does acknowledge that his path has been nicely upgraded. Not only did he train all winter at the Brewers’ facility in Phoenix — a first for him — he reports Saturday to spring training as an insider, not a needy newcomer.

He banked enough goodness last summer to relax, just a bit, this time around.

That gives the closer the freedom to, say, finetune some knee-buckling surprises for left-handed batters. Perhaps a changeup or a split-fingered fastball.

This feeling is well-earned. Liberating, too.

“A little more comforting … knowing that I can mess around with a third pitch in spring training and if it gets whacked over the fence, it’s not the end of the world,” says Henderson, a right-hander who can crank it up to 100 miles per hour. “As long as I’m ready for Opening Day, that’s all that matters.”

Not that Henderson is cruising into spring training.

For someone who toiled in Double-A as recently as 2011, hunger remains.

“I played in the minors so long, you try to impress the brass, you try to keep moving up levels,” he says. “That’s been instilled in me. I want to go out there every spring and open up eyes. Even if you have opened up eyes in the past, you want to continue to show them that you’re the guy they want out there.

“So my mentality hasn’t really changed.”

Even the Brewers’ off-season addition of Francisco Rodriguez, a proven commodity with more than 300 saves, doesn’t diminish his status. (“Henderson is still our closer,” general manager Doug Melvin told reporters.)

In fact, the plan is to have Rodriguez serve as Henderson’s setup man.

“You go out there and just pitch what they give you,” says Henderson, who, in his first full season in the Major Leagues, made 61 appearances, going 5-5, collecting 28 saves (in 32 opportunities), recording 75 strikeouts in 60 innings. “Manager Ron Roenicke told me last year that he enjoys having me pitch in the ninth inning. He likes that role for me.

“We have a nice team put together now, with some of the guys we’ve signed in the off-season. It’s more about winning this year, instead of being concerned about who’s in what role.”

Modesty aside, another surefire sign that Henderson has arrived?

His own bobblehead.

Milwaukee had an open date on its giveaway schedule after trading Norichika Aoki to Kansas City, so bobblehead honours were put to an online vote. Henderson prevailed, although he figures he received a helping (and clicking) hand from the north.

“I had a lot of support back in Calgary and Okotoks, who may have stuffed the ballot box a little bit,” says the Dawgs graduate. “It’s cool because it was voted by the fans — it wasn’t just given to me. It’s neat, but you don’t really think about those things.”

On July 27 — prior to a game against the New York Mets — figurines, featuring his likeness, will be handed out to Miller Park patrons.

“You get people telling you, ‘Congratulations,’ like you won some kind of major award,” says Henderson, chuckling. “It’s fun. Hopefully, it’s a good-looking bobblehead.”

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